If you or your child have been arrested for shoplifting / larceny in Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan, Norwalk or Darien Connecticut, then there are 3 things you need to know before you set foot into a Connecticut criminal courtroom. The upscale shopping promenades in Greenwich, New Canaan, Westport and Darien Connecticut lend themselves to lots of big spending and fancy shopping, but these boutiques can also be a tempting target for shoplifters.
That’s why we’re letting you in on 3 secrets to fighting Connecticut shoplifting arrests that they won’t tell you in court…
As the best criminal lawyers in Stamford, Greenwich and other Connecticut towns know, state prosecutors strictly enforce the “3 strikes” larceny and shoplifting laws. You see, shoplifting is the more colloquial term for Larceny, which is the Connecticut crime of taking property from its rightful owner (whether it be a store or an individual), without permission, and with the intent to permanently deprive the rightful owner of such property. The degree of larceny depends on the value of the property taken, and can be classified as a misdemeanor or felony, for property valued over $2000. Top Shoplifting criminal attorneys and lawyers in Connecticut are keenly aware that your third conviction (i.e. guilty plea in court) to a shoplifting arrest in Connecticut makes you a “Persistent Larceny Offender” (called a “PLO”). It is a felony charge that comes with mandatory jail time. So if there’s anything you or your top Stamford, Greenwich of Norwalk Connecticut criminal lawyer can do to get your shoplifting arrest dismissed, then follow their advice, as you don’t want to have any larceny convictions on your record, let alone three of them. Follow this link for more on Connecticut Persistent Larceny Offender laws as they relate to Shoplifting arrests in Stamford, Greenwich, New Haven and Norwalk Connecticut.
The best Norwalk and Greenwich Connecticut shoplifting criminal lawyers and attorneys often see teenagers and adults arrested for shoplifting who can easily afford the items they are stealing. The question the Connecticut courts usually want to know is why? Why shoplift if you can afford to buy the item? That’s where the best Connecticut criminal law firms who routinely handle shoplifting arrests in Norwalk, Greenwich, and Stamford Connecticut can step in and present an aggressive mental health defense to your Connecticut shoplifting arrest. Good, law-abiding people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, or other mental health issues often deal with symptoms that may cause them to shoplift, despite the fact they have financial means to purchase the item. Impulse control issues are frequently associated with psychological defenses to shoplifting. In fact, the problem is so common that the Connecticut courts offer a little-known psychological diversionary program that allows eligible shoplifting defendants to get their cases dismissed if they complete a mental health program. It’s called the “Supervised Diversionary Program.” For more information on getting your Connecticut shoplifting arrest dismissed based on a mental health defense, click here.
Hard to believe, but in some cases it’s actually a good idea for you to apologize to the store you stole from. But wouldn’t that mean I’m admitting guilt? That’s a question top Norwalk and Stamford shoplifting lawyers hear all the time. Yes it does, but judges and prosecutors understand that good people make mistakes and that there’s sometimes enough “punishment in the process” of getting arrested for shoplifting in Connecticut that they just may drop your charges if they see that you’ve accepted responsibility, shown remorse to the store owners, and quickly paid the store back for the administrative costs it incurred in preserving the video surveillance footage and re-stocking the item you stole (usually a few hundred bucks). Proceed cautiously with this approach, however, especially if this is not your first arrest for shoplifting or larceny in Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk or anywhere in Connecticut. And before apologizing to anyone, contact a top Connecticut shoplifting lawyer to make sure you’re not compromising or jeopardizing any of your other constitutional rights or defenses.
The Larceny and Shoplifting lawyers at Mark Sherman Law have worked hundreds of shoplifting cases in Connecticut, getting a majority of them dismissed with mental health defenses, suspension of prosecution motions, and obtaining exculpatory video surveillance evidence. Check out our Avvo.com certified reviews from our prior shoplifting clients, and give us a call today. We are available 24/7 at (203) 358-4700.
